customer problems

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andyb

hi all

need a bit of advice. Got a customer who i changed their downstairs cloakroom for them. They now say they have a problem with a smell in the cloakroom. Told them to check the traps, check the drains outside flush the loo to see if anything comes out of the manhole drain. He hasnt come back to me yet.

Not sure if its a problem with the waste pipe though. Saying that it is a problem with the waste and the problems been there for a while but by changing the toilet has made it worse, whats the best way to proceed? I didnt touch the soil apart from conecting the toilet, think it could be dripping underneath the floorboards (where i didnt touch anything) , surely im not responsible am i?

just need so advice as to how to proceed

thanks v much
andy
 
You need to go and have a look at it ,it might have been right when u left but u never know,
Take it from there plus u dont want a disgruntled custard his gob could cost u dear
Keep him happy and put your mind at rest
good luck
 
havent heard from him after i told him to check the manhole to see if it was blocked or indeed if water came through when he flushed to toilet. If water does come thorugh anything to look for when i do go round? Also could the hot weather recently be causing a problem?
cheers
 
yes just ask a few basic questions,try to get a feel for the situation.
as anyone else been working in there,how often is it used etc u can then double check your work to make sure alls ok, its up to u but if he has to ring back he could get pi55ed,id just drop by when u have time and if its sorted its just a courtsey call which wont do u any harm.
20 mins to lift man hole and check traps is nowt for peice of mind that its nothung to do with u,and keeps them happy,u want all the punters u can get in these times!
 
I would go back round as a priority. It will protect your image ! If it is your fault you then can put it right ASAP, if its an existing problem they had you then get the job (if you want it) to sort it for them.
They can then tell all there friends " our plumber put us a new WC in and then he sorted out a problem we had had for ages "
Go round and make sure its OK
 
Hi. I do recall a case with similar complaint. The upshot was, when the house was built, the cast iron soil, branches and alike were fabricated out of position (probable the whole street back at plumbers shop) After doing some work at the house. The client rang with a smell complaint. On investigation (taking up floor boards) the cast soil finished approx 6" short of the salt glazed collar. The gap was bridged using a paint tin with the bottom cut out and caulked into the collar. Time had scene it off and the soil and waste discharged down the pipe and jumped the gap (well some of it) I did however convince the householder it was not my finical responsibility to fix it. Good Luck
 
is the upstairs bathroom connected to the same stack if so is it fully vented.may be a case of induced syphonage possible may require anti syphon trap to basin🙂good luck and keep us posted regards turnpin
 
hi all

and thanks for all your help and suggestions. Nothing heard yet so it might have sorted itself out, but with turnpin's comments, dont think the upstairs toilets go into the same stack, but they did have a rodding point covered with a new floor at the same time. Not sure if this was letting a small amount of air in, but if it was, not its covered it could well be a bit of induced siphonage.

on another note had a call from another customer (must be my time at the moment) who's en-suite i did last year, says he's now got a slight leak so will have to pop round and see him as well. Hopefully just a bit of sealant and all is done!

cheers
andy
 
UPDATE

Have been to see the customer this week as the smell is still coming and going. Customer has told me it only arrives at about 8pm in the evenings, and at all other times it isnt there. It wasnt there when i went round.

Ive checked the outside drain to see if water is coming through when the toilet and basin are used and it does with a good flow. The drain didnt smell either, and there was no blockage.

Ive put a small seal of sealant around the base of the toilet as there were some gaps where fresh air was coming through.

There appears to be no soil stack vent (though i didnt really have too close a look for this).

Ive asked the customer to try and locate if the smell is coming from the basin or toilet, and then open the drain to see if that gets rid of the smell or if the smell is from there.

The customer had bought a anti-siphon waste for the basin, im not sure if the seal in this trap is evaporating with the warm weather were having and the seal is lost?

Im waiting a call to see if the selant has worked (dont think it will though) and then i'll plan to go back and change the trap on the basin, remove the toilet and check the waste pipe. Im also planning to go back around 730pm in the evening to experience the smell

When ive had a drainage problem before, the smell has always been there, am confused as to why it only arrives at 8pm? Have also asked the customer to check at 7pm 715pm 730pm 745pm to see if the smell starts and identify where is coming from.

They didnt have this problem with the old basin and toilet.

Any help really appreciated, im at a loss here!
Cheers
Andy
 
i had the same thing a terrible smell when coming into house , but only at certain times of the day ! what was it ? toilet basin, sink ?
no none of these , it was the dishwasher rotten stinking smell , got a disinfectant detergent from a washing machine repair shop , stuck it in smell gone , so dont think the obvious could be that .
 
Thanks for that, could well be something thats happening in the house at 8pm elsewhere, bath being let out, sink draining, i'll update again when i go around this week
cheers
andy
 
7-8 bath time, could be compression blowing the trap and then resealing ..
 
Had a call from the customer this morning saying the smell was back last night around 10ish, they have located the smell coming from the basin so will try and get a hepvo vlave and fit it tommorow morning and see if that works.

Are the hepvo valves generally available at the merchants? Would be after a 32mm size

cheers
andy
 
try this , tell them to fill sink and put stopper in it and stuff a cloth in overflow in sink this will stop anti siphon smells, so you may need to do it with a few basins around house , we fitted 2 heps anti siphons in house , the ole dear still was giving out ! until we got the dishwasher powder cleaner in and that was it all smells gone /
 
i'll bear that in mind, guess fit the hepvo and see how it goes, will ask if they are doing anything when the smell arrives, dishwasher, bath, basin, toilet upstairs

cheers
andy
 
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